NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx is bringing back bits of the asteroid Bennu to Earth. The spacecraft collected samples of the asteroid in 2020 and they are set to arrive on Earth on September 24.
Studying Bennu for Planetary Defense and Understanding our Origins
OSIRIS-REx launched in 2016 and entered orbit around Bennu in 2018. Bennu was chosen as a target for several reasons. First, it is considered a near-Earth object (NEO) due to its regular close approaches. Although the chances of collision with Earth in the next 300 years are minimal, studying Bennu helps scientists understand how to protect our planet from similar asteroids. Second, Bennu is a time capsule from the early solar system, offering insights into the formation and growth of planets. Finally, Bennu contains large concentrations of carbon, which is essential for organic molecules and the potential for understanding the origins of life on Earth.
Additionally, the samples collected from Bennu will be compared to those already returned by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft from the asteroid Ryugu. This comparison will help researchers deepen their understanding of the history of the solar system and the diversity of materials present billions of years ago.
The Exciting Descent and Future Missions
On September 24, the OSIRIS-REx team will make a crucial decision about whether it is safe to release the sample capsule. This capsule will be sent hurtling towards Earth from a distance of about 102,000 kilometers, traveling at a speed of approximately 44,000 kilometers per hour. It will undergo a protected and slowed descent using a heat shield and parachutes before landing in the Utah desert.
If all goes well, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will continue its mission to study the asteroid Apophis. Meanwhile, the collected sample will be promptly transported to Houston for analysis by scientists eagerly awaiting its arrival. The anticipation among the researchers is likened to the excitement of a child on Christmas Eve, ready to unwrap the gifts of samples from Bennu.
